KGr zbV23 as combat unit?

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello,

At least one of He111-equipped transport units (KGr zbV5) was used for bombing sorties certainly. It seems KGr zvV23 too. At least three losses or damages looks like combat losses during bombing raids or armed recce:
25.Feb.43 in Qu.8537 (near Gelendzhik = Gelendshik naval base), AA fire
20.Mar.43 in Qu.4673 (far beyond the frontline in Northern Caucasus), fighter attack
22.Mar.43 near "Lendshik" (almost no doubt it means Gelendshik), MIA. Indeed, the raid against Gelendzhik at night 21/22.Mar had happened.
Maybe 25.Mar.43 was combat sortie too:
Taman, AA fire.

Whether the info about the use of KGr zbV23 (and maybe other He111 transport units) as the bombing units exist?

Best regards,
Andrey

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Andrey -

KGr. z.b.V. 23
……………….
Formation. (Jan 43)
Formed 7 January 1943 at Hannover-Langenhagen with a Gruppenstab and four Staffeln (1. – 4.) of He 111s. As a provisional transport formation hastily cobbled together for the Stalingrad crisis, the aircraft, crews and other personnel came from a variety of units, including training schools. For example, one component was the Stabskette of I./KG 26 which was rushed to South Russia from the Mediterranean. Most of the technical personnel were also provided by KG 26. Around half of the crews were made up of students who had just completed their training at Blindflugschule 6 (Wesendorf). Rather than moving to Russia as a full Gruppe, as soon as a Staffel had finished assembling at Langenhagen it was immediately dispatched to Konstantinovka in the Donets Basin to the north of Stalino.
……………………..
5 Feb 43: following three weeks of intense employment in support of 6. Armee encircle in Stalingrad, transferred to Saki/C. Crimea and remained there until 4 April. Operating from Saki and the forward airfield at Bagerovo in eastern Crimea, the Gruppe flew fuel, food and hay (for horses) to German forces holding the Kuban bridgehead in the Taman Peninsula of North Caucasia. Also, bomber raids were flown on Krasnodar and various rail targets in North Caucasia, and aerial mines were dropped in Gelendzhik harbor on the Black Sea coast.
………………
Sources:
F.Morzik-German Air Force Airlift Operations:406; [Kameradschaft Ehemaliger Transportflieger], Geschichte einer Transportflieger-Gruppe im II.Weltkrieg:239; Schmidt, Rudi, Achtung - Torpedos Los!: Der Strategische und Operative Einsatz des Kampfgeschwader 26:120-21; K.Kössler comment in Luftwaffe Verband Journal No. 15:4; BA-MA Freiburg: Signatur RL 20/281-84; BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs); E.Hartmann-“Die Aufstellung der Transportfliegergruppe 30 als Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 23 und ihr Stalingradeinsatz”, Luftwaffen-Revue, 2/1993:35-36 and in issues 3/1993 and 4/1993.

L.

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Thank you, Larry!

Valuable info as always.
Do you have the info about possible combat use of other He111 transport units (KGr zbV20, 24, 25) and maybe KGr zbV21 (Ju86)?

Best regards,
Andrey

[Larry deZeng]

I will have to get back to you on that, Andrey, but I should be able to get an answer to you before the end of today or by tomorrow morning.

L.

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Thank you in advance, Larry

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Andrey -

Here are the results from my extensive notes taken during years and years of research in the original German documents and the postwar literature:

KGr. z.b.V. 20
29-30 Nov 42: forming at Zichenau with He 111s for the Stalingrad airlift.
3 Dec 42: arrived at Morosovskaya.
4 Feb – 20 Mar 43: Crimea - first Bagerovo, then Sarabus, then Saki. Airlift operations to the Taman Peninsula. Disbanded second half of March. No bombing missions noted.

KGr. z.b.V. 21
29-30 Nov 42: forming at Zichenau with Ju 86s.
8 Dec 42 – c.13 Jan 43: supply missions to Stalingrad from Morosovskaya and Tatsinskaya. Disbanded second half of January. No bombing missions noted.

KGr. z.b.V. 24
Ordered formed 7 January 1943 at Rheine in NW Germany with 53 He 111s as a provisional transport formation for service not to exceed six months duration. Intended for the Stalingrad airlift operation then underway. Formation was never completed and no further references to it have been found.

KGr. z.b.V. 25
Ordered formed on or about 7 January 1943 with He 111s for the Stalingrad airlift, but place and exact date of formation are not known. As was the case with most of the transport units hastily assembled for the emergency air supply of the 6. Armee (AOK 6) surrounded in Stalingrad, the aircraft and crews for KGr. z.b.V. 25 probably came from the various training schools. There is very little information concerning the history and employment of this Gruppe, other than the fact that it existed for a very short period of time. It is known that in January 1943 it was assigned to Luftwaffenkommando Don, at least one of its He 111s being used to tow gliders for 1.(Go)/Lw.Kdo. Don, and that it was probably never employed in the Stalingrad operation, at least not in any major way. Disbanded c.10 Mar 43. No bombing missions noted.

I hope this helps,

L.

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Larry, thank you a lot!


So, apparently only KGr zbV5 and KGr zbV23 were used as bombing units.


Best regards,
Andrey

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by Andrey Kuznetsov

Larry, thank you a lot!


So, apparently only KGr zbV5 and KGr zbV23 were used as bombing units.


Best regards,
Andrey

Yes, that is my conclusion, too, based on all of the documentation examined.

L.

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Dear Larry,

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng

Also, bomber raids were flown on Krasnodar and various rail targets in North Caucasia, and aerial mines were dropped in Gelendzhik harbor on the Black Sea coast.
………………
Sources: ...
L.

What is the source about aerial minelaying by KGr zbV23? Quite unusual info.

Best regard,
Andrey

[Larry deZeng]

Andrey -

Almost certainly this one:

E.Hartmann-“Die Aufstellung der Transportfliegergruppe 30 als Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 23 und ihr Stalingradeinsatz”, Luftwaffen-Revue, 2/1993:35-36 and in issues 3/1993 and 4/1993.


L.